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MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

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Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#101

Post by tgb »

ynniv wrote: post #82
tgb wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this related to Boston Dynamics? The work looks very similar, of course, but I don't see their name associated to it. According to this article, Boston Dynamics has it's own "Cheetah" http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/robotics-hardwar...

MIT is probably developing advanced algorithms for the Boston Dynamics platform.

I actually can't find any information on their site that that's the case either. I'd have thought they would mention that if it were the case, and this looks a bit different from any of the Boston Dynamics ones I could find.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#102

Post by rokhayakebe »

spiek wrote: post #79
benliong78 wrote: post #10

I for one welcome our robotic overlord

This is such an annoying and useless comment. This same comment is parroted EVERY time there's an article about robots anywhere on the Internet. How are you adding anything to the discussion at all?

S/he seems excited and wanted to reinforce that with something more than an upvote. Frankly if his/her comment adding nothing, yours took away from the thread because it has a negative and discouraging tone to it.

Be nicer my friend. We are all friends here.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#103

Post by joshrotenberg »

SuddsMcDuff wrote: post #47
tugberkk wrote: post #3

Aside from being a great development; I am really scared that robotics is improving this much. It feels like we are creating our own potential enemy.

I felt the same when I had my first child.

It's really the subsequent children that you should watch out for. Now they'll have an accomplice.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#104

Post by kolbe »

tagawa wrote: post #51
ajbetteridge wrote: post #45

So they can spend millions developing the robot, but the best they can do for tracking while they film from the side is a guy pushing another guy in a big plastic box on wheels. Way to go geeks!

I don't see the problem. It was quick and easy and got the job done - a nice avoidance of over-engineering.

It's not a problem. It's amusing. Juxtaposition is a common form of humor, and whether or not MIT indented the humor, it is funny to see a multimillion dollar autonomous robot get filmed with such a primitive technique.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#106

Post by dayjah »

baldfat wrote: post #52
jolt wrote: post #12

This reminds me of when i was learning to drive. In the beginning I was only aware of what was immediately in front of the car, and as such, drove very slow and had pay extra attention because a lot of important stuff was coming in to my field of view all the time. Now, when i drive i look further down the road, i plan out how to follow the road, i see the intersection coming up, and try to anticipate the routes of t…

If only more people drove like you and knew who was behind and on the side of them accidents would happen at half the rate.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. I'm always amazed at how many times a lyft or uber driver does not see a "situation" a little further down the road, resulting in the need to swerve to avoid it versus changing lane early to avoid the last second reaction.

I've noticed it in cases where I'm a passenger in a friends car also, but I've always chalked that up to the conversation being a distraction.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#107

Post by scott_s »

vlasev wrote: post #31

No one seems to be discussing how this can be improved! Here are a few points: 1. Real cheetahs don't run like that. The action of both pairs of legs is staggered for smoother motion and control. Check this out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=131wvVGjZUc 2. Looking at this jumping-over-obstacles video, it seems like the robot is lacking flexibility. The real life cheetah's hind legs go quite a bit underneath in pre…

I think it's safe to assume that the researchers have watched hours and hours of footage of cheetahs running - I'm sure they're aware the ways in which their work is not like the real thing.

Watching some of the cheetah videos, I wonder how much of their staggering is compensation. That is, the "ideal" cheetah gait may actually be non-staggered. But as the cheetah is changing direction, dealing with slightly uneven ground and reaching out for prey, it may need to stagger its legs in order to compensate.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#108

Post by oldpond »

jader201 wrote: post #92
Sputum wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this is how cheetahs run http://giphy.com/gifs/animal-running-7lz6nPd56aHh6

Actually, if you slow it down, the left/right legs are stil not quite perfectly in sync (at least not in this case): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuyeVN7PuTM

Correct, and it's clear the machine does a little correction cycle after it lands. Very cool though. Now they need to work this into the pathfinding algorithms.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#109

Post by willis77 »

gadders wrote: post #90
vlasev wrote: post #31

No one seems to be discussing how this can be improved! Here are a few points: 1. Real cheetahs don't run like that. The action of both pairs of legs is staggered for smoother motion and control. Check this out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=131wvVGjZUc 2. Looking at this jumping-over-obstacles video, it seems like the robot is lacking flexibility. The real life cheetah's hind legs go quite a bit underneath in pre…

Yeah! And whilst we're at it, wings on aeroplanes don't flap either. RUBBISH. /sarcasm

Hey man, he took those MIT engineers to school. Despite decades of focused dedication to the study of robots, control theory, gait and dynamical systems, they probably never considered just making their robot work more better.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#110

Post by noonespecial »

ajbetteridge wrote: post #45

So they can spend millions developing the robot, but the best they can do for tracking while they film from the side is a guy pushing another guy in a big plastic box on wheels. Way to go geeks!

I really liked that part. You don't really get the feel for how fast this giant bot is moving and jumping until you see some humans struggling to keep up with it.
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